President issues pre-landfall emergency declaration for MA

Less than a day before Hurricane Sandy is expected to make landfall and impact significant portions of the East Coast, President Obama has issued a Pre-Landfall Emergency Declaration for direct federal assistance.

The request was made late last week by Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, and it means the Federal government would assist with search and rescue efforts, emergency power generation, mass care and sheltering support, evacuation support, emergency communications, and other measures as needed during the storm's arrival and aftermath in Massachusetts.

According to the state, the costs of federal assistance would be shared on at least a 75 percent federal, 25 percent Commonwealth basis.

A young Chicopee woman, who has been on her own since she was just 16 years old, recently lost everything she owns in an apartment fire. Our Lia Auto Group and Western Mass News Surprise Squad is working with Borys Furniture in Chicopee to give her a little extra support before the holidays.

A young Chicopee woman, who has been on her own since she was just 16 years old, recently lost everything she owns in an apartment fire. Our Lia Auto Group and Western Mass News Surprise Squad is working with Borys Furniture in Chicopee to give her a little extra support before the holidays.